Fiesta Feet

So, these are the other socks I'm in the throws of - but now trying to get Mum's lilac socks done first. These may go skiing with me - good to have something small but complicated. Not sure I'll be able to knit on the plane - Gatwick say 'pens, biros, refills ok' but in not allowed is anything with a sharp point. So I probably won't risk it.

This is a Lucy Neatby pattern, which has an unusual design. you start with striped garter stitch strip, to fit comfortably but snuggly around your ankle, graft it together and pick up and knit form one side. The length of your garter strip decides the stitch count, so you could use any yarn. This is the other side, shows my wholly inadequate grafting (all came apart - so I had to more or less sew it together!)


I am using a Cherry Tree Hill multi (from I Knit London) and Opal Uni brown (from Getknitted). Seems to be working well. I usually really dislike lacy, knobbly socks - but I like these!






Cablenet Lilac



I decided I wanted to knit my Mum socks for her birthday (which was on Friday) a while ago - and started off with Eunny's Bayersche socks. I did like this, but struggled with the combination of lots of small needles and several charts next to each other of different lengths and cabling - also, decided it looked a bit overdone (when I did it - complicated for its own sake almost, perhaps because my gauge got tighter as I found it harder).
So I decided to frog and go for the cablenet socks from Knitty by Ariel Barton - happily knit in the same yarn I am using (Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock semi solid from Getknitted) which made life easier. I'm using new Clover bamboo DPNs, 2mm (whatever that is in US sizes) 16cm - a good length, not too long.


I'm very pleased with how it is going! I started with a yarnover type tubular cast-on - perhaps I should have done a twisted rib, but I didn't!


The silvery tube is the Woolworks socks-in-progress holder, a fantastic idea reproduced form 19th century versions. Works really well, enhances the portability of socks on dpns no end!


Talking of Getknitted (as I did a few paragraphs ago) I went to the opening day on Saturday 20th January. This is an on-line shop that has always had monthly open days in the warehouse - now it also has a VAST realworld shop, in Bristol (where, happily, my parents live). I went with my Mum and C's mum, and bought 2 skeins of koigu (in colour P118c lot 644 - shown here rather blurred in a soon-to-be-unravelled sock, I think. Also, one skein of Colinette Jitterbug in Bright Charcoal, which I'd had my eye on on-line. This is an 'easy-care' 100% merino sock yarn, 267m in 100g. Interestingly, it doesn't feel any thicker than Poshyarns wonderful Lucia sock yarn, which is 30% cashmere and 70% merino and is 360m to 100g. It'll be interesting to see how the jitterbug swatches - I might try it on 2.5mm first, though I usually use 2- 2.25mm for socks to make them wear better.


Anemoi mitts - in poshyarn Lucia

Here are the mitts I've made from Eunny's Anemoi mitten pattern, and Dee's delightful Lucia sock yarn (30% cashmere, 70% merino) at Poshyarn. I made them for C for Christmas, and she was delighted! I added a row of purl, then a row of knit cast-off, and it doesn't seem to be curling too much. The cuff is corrugated rib.

As you can see from my detail, my stranded colour work is not by any means perfect, but I enjoy it and hope to improve!

...Back - not sure what I've been doing! Heart stole.

hello there - well, I'm back, not sure why I've been gone so long, but I've finished the dratted pink cashmere stole for my cousin's wedding on Saturday. It took some blocking, but looks ok now, I think. Not my cup of tea on various levels (pale pink! Hearts!) but I hope it will be hers (the wedding invite was pale pink - as I gather is the dress - and included little metallic hearts, loose, in the envelope, so I'm optimistic re that!)

It is (just!) wide enough to be called a stole, and my cos is tiny-weeny, so should be ok.

Can you tell I'm insecure re this?

A meme. For fun. Doesn't mean you can send me any!

Stolen from Kerrie
1. FIRST NAME? Emily
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Sort of - perhaps after the fact - a Victorian great aunt of my Dad's. And I recently bought a book she wrote (sadly i think a rather sanctimonious novel, haven't read it yet).
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Not that often. When I do, quite frequently an irritatingly artificially engineered response to some Hollywood claptrap. Happy to cry, just not that frequent an occurence.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yep, quite good.
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Lunchmeat? Huh? I like salami - is that a lunchmeat??? And pate!
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? No idea at all.
7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Not really - I am too self-censoring here, and not disciplined enough elsewhere.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? No - went aged 9 along with my adenoids
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No way Jose. I declined in the north of Queensland effectively when the entire busload of people went for it. i like my knees to function, don't like sudden drops, or throwing up upside down.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Porridge.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Rarely.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Maybe.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Not that keen. Too cold. C made fabulous honey semi-freddo, though, and i liked that. or fruit-strong sorbet (I know, no logic, that's cold too).
14. SHOE SIZE? UK size 4-4.5, continental 37-37.5, US - who knows????
15. RED OR PINK? Red.
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Procrastinator. Untidy.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Mutti. (My beloved grandmother).
18. WHAT FOOD WILL GET YOU OUT OF BED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT? None. Or anything if the companies good and the smell enticing.
19. WHAT COLOUR TROUSERS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Black fleece trousers, Orange/red polar knit jumper (sweater) and Ugg boots. NOT the trendy kind, bought 13 years ago in a little shop in Perth, WA, for about $30 AUS. I am angry with the 'Ugg' company who ripped off this free name, descriptor, for Australian sheepskin boots/slippers nd then sued the original little companies for still using the name! Bastards.
20. LAST THING YOU ATE? Scrambled egg and wholemeal pita, with the other half of the pita spread with butter and marmite. Yum.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? traffic outside, clicking of my keyboard and C's.
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Bright green (Or rish red, rust or orange).
23. FAVORITE SMELL? Cardamom.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Kate.
25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Faces? Self-presentation?
26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON YOU STOLE THIS FROM? Yes, how could you not like Kerrie?
27. FAVOURITE DRINK? Cold tap water?
28. FAVOURITE SPORT? Skiing.
29. EYE COLOUR? Green.
30. HAT SIZE? ? Medium?
31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Occasionally - for skiing - usually I'm a speccy-four-eyes and proud of it!
32. FAVORITE FOOD? That depends. Roast trimmings; risotto with parmesan; marmite on toast; sticky stew; good Indian/Pakistani food. LOTS OF FOOD!
33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Totally useless with any suspense. Internal logic a must! Don't need happy endings, depends on the film.
35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter.
36. HUGS OR KISSES? Both, depends, go together so often...
37. FAVOURITE DESSERT? Banoffee pie.
38. WHAT SIDE OF THE BED DO YOU SLEEP ON AND WHY? Nearest the door to the loo, always, whichever that is. the left, at home.
39. IF YOU DIDN'T MAKE THE DECISION TO GET MARRIED AND HAVE A FAMILY, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING TODAY? I'm not married, and wouldn't be even if straight. See ALternatives to marriage project. Having said that, my C and I have made promises to each other, and have registered our partnership - I am ambivalent about the latter. Don't see why some relationships should be priviledged over others. Choose your own family, I say! (Though I would include all my birth family, extended, and C's birth family in that). No desire to have children.
Isn't there a bit of an assumption in this meme?
40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Just read Alison Bechdel's 'Fun Home' - she wrote/drew all those 'Dykes to watch out for' comic strips, which are fab. Also re-reading 'What Katy Did'. Eclectic? Moi?
41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? I's the free Dell one - came with the computer.
42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Watched th tape of "Grey's Anatomy" - left with Meredith with her hand on an unexploded bazooka bomb in some chap's thorax. Very stressful to watch (did I mention my thing about suspense?) but worth it. trying to watch less telly, though.
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Skis running on wonderful snow among trees.
44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? Latter if I must.
45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Australia - twice.
46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? I don't think I have one.
47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Bristol.
48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? No-one. I swiped it from Kerrie.

Unravel the third (and last)

The 'knit a river for water aid' River was flowing over the banister at the turn of the stairs - I think I'll need to make them a square now, it looked cool and is. The guys from 'I Knit', a new knitting shop in London, brought it - they spend Saturday afternoons in the shop piecing it together. It sounds like a cool shop - open mostly in the evenings, and knitting clubs several nights a week. They were selling some lovely yarn at the show - I bought some Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn in lovely reds and blacks.

There was also the Knitted garden (or rather, a part of it) - fun, looks good, but not really my thing (same for the gingerbread house in progress in the same room). I think the latter is for charity - for GOS and North Devon Hospice.

An artist had been working with school children doing 'wool collographs' (printing with wool) on sugar paper, which was all folded and combined to create this magic thing.


Two artists had created knitted wire pieces - a very realistic bicycle was sent over from Canada (imagine the packing!) and these ethereal (?christening) robes and little shoes showed beautifully in a cubbyhole.

And I think I said that there were lots of young people running around doing all the work in the place - (with fab headpieces on) -well this chap was taking tea to all the workers in a pinnie with emergency crochet hooks etc slotted into specially designed loops - and was only too happy to be photographed with it on. I like boys like that!

Blogger is being a total b*gger today about posting. I keep on trying though...

Unravel

What a fabulously fun day out! I think there'll be a series of posts about this, as blogger doesn't like too many pics in one post, I find.

Anyway, Unravel in Bracknell was an unmitigated success as far as S and I were concerned. Every person working there - including staff in the cafe - seemed to have a headdress consisting of a hairband wrapped in yarn with a small ball of yarn on the left with 2 tiny knitting needles through it. Looked great! (That's me sorted for headware at the enxt wedding I go to...) Lots of young people involved in running the thing, and a very varied audience - people like me who had travelled far due to our knitting obsession, and local families coming for a day out; people who had been involved in the lead up outreach events (in schools, for young people, and older adults too).

The pics here are of Rachael John's (scroll down) most 'Extreme knitting' as her technique is called - she usually uses lots of different yarns together, but this time used 1,000! She had specially made HUGE needles and lots of helpers. Doesn't it look beautiful with the waterfall of yarn! The final product would make a great futon mattress, certainly thicker than some I have slept on!

Teaswap goodies


Melanie S - thanks! This is the lovely box that came across the pond to me - 3 skeins of handspun (I have passed the pale one, pinks and mauves to my S-i-L as it should be a perfect trim for what she is making for my niece). I'm especially smitten by the one next to the pale one - earth colours it says, has a real depth to the colours. Love it! Intrigued by the drapy 'Incanto' in two rich colours, and the Paton's 'Decor' in red and brown is a favourite earthy colourway of mine. Looking forward to trying all those thoughtful teas, too! Can you see how many different ones there are?

Thanks!

More re course

Alice - for this first module, I've received a whole lot of info about the course in general, the expectations, the support available (tutor's home phone no., email etc) and so forth. Also a little starter pack for 'frottage' (which is rubbing in a different context than I've heard the word used before!) and collage, as I will be doing these (but haven't yet got onto that part of the module). So far, I have started a piece of work documenting and describing the tools used in handknitting in detail (so far I've done needles); I need to start a dictionary of abbreviations/marks used to denote particular stitches or combinations of stitches (eg SSK). I've knitted about 20 little samplers of cast-ons and cast-offs (using different yarn for the relevant bit) and started sewing them to card and carefully labelling them.

I'll let you know what I do next!

City and Guilds...

So, I've started module one of the City and Guilds 7922 Level 3 handknitting (and design) course with Loraine McClean of WSTouchbase, having met Loraine and some of her students at the museum and art gallery here in Brum last month. Did I blog about that? Should have - Loraine was very interesting and inspiring, it was great to meet and chat with other students and see their work, the homemade bread pudding was deelish (if heavy as a cannonball) and the exhibition "Mirror, Bead and Thread", A Celebration of Gujarati Textiles, part of the year-long Art and Islam series was fantastic.

Anyway, I've started my work for the first module - so far I have done samples of ways of casting on, and ways of casting off. Here are most of the cast-off specimens pinned out to block before I sew them onto card and stick printed labels next to them. It's actually quite good fun, and made me try a few (tubular for example) that I haven't before.

Jonah and the Penguins.

I have a new Cousin! My cousin, Jamie, and his Partner, Harriet, have had a baby - called Jonah. I've just finished sewing up his cardiagan, made from Opal sock yarn, using the Knitty pattern 'Devan'. An easy knit, and should be fairly indestructible, I hope.

The lovely Penguins are from Injabulo, and are sewn on VERY TIGHTLY to avoid choking.


I'm also still knitting the pink cashmere shawl - miles to go - and finished the somewhat hideous shawl for my niece to wear as a bridesmaid (hideaous because I detest the wishy-washy colours, you can see them below. Nice yarn to knit with!)

Need to start another pair of socks for lots of journeys over the next week - I'm off to 'Unravel' on Staurday, and then having a day at the Jewish museum in Camden with my mum on Tuesday.

Black Bunny/Eleonora F.O. Third pair of socks!


My beautiful Black Bunny fiber (Charcoal its very self) Has been transformed into delicious Eleonora socks (from Miriam of Mimknits and Icarus fame, recently interviewed by our very own Wendy).

Loooovely yarn to knit with, as I'm sure we can all attest, and really enjoyed the pattern, too. 3 pairs of socks, so far!


(I'm wearing my socks right now, and they are perfect!)


Oh, and I've shown a detail of the yarn for deliciousness-proof.

Essay

Just a quicky from work - Alice asked what essay? And of course I haven't really mentioned it.

I'm doing this MA in Medical Humanities at Swansea University, and have my 5th and final essay to get in by October 13th. "examine the significance of mortality for human life". Quite a subject! And my friend's (can I have a 'best' friend now I'm practically 40?) father died fairly suddenly earlier this year - he was my dad's childhood friend. So the essay is well-timed, in that I am thinking about this stuff anyway, and I seem to know lots fo people whose fathers have died in the last year or 2 (though this is by far the closest).

I suppose this age (did I mention???? 40 in March) is when our parents do start to die. I know I am rehearsing mentally, not that that will help when it happens (I so want to say 'if' but am not that out of touch with reality).

So I am watching 6FU (ie Six Feet Under), Harold and Maude, reading bits of Hamlet and Socrates and so on, and coming up with lots fo ideas. So far, as usual, I have about 1700 words (no, actually, way ahead of usual no at this point because I don't want to do any during my holiday) on a variety of areas, like how we think about mortality at different ages, the way the death of a parent slaps you in the face, illnessa and bringing ideas of our own mortality, plastic surgery and reluctance to age...

Shall I stop now, Alice? Too much information?

Wait till I start my dissertation...

Busy

Well, I've got my act together and posted off my tea/knit parcel. hope it pleases my spoilee! And I have heard from my spoiler, too, which weas great.

I'm still busy not quite writing my essay (well, I have 1700 words of 5000, but meant to not have to do any one my hols next week. We'll see. If I can get lots done with MIL over the weekend, while C does insane cross-Devon racing on foot, cayak and bicycle, then maybe I'll be ok.

Sorry, this'll be a dull post, no pics. Most intersting thing I've done is start sorting out what knitting I shall take away with me! Th shawl for my cousin and the sicky shawl for my niece - has to be wishy washy to go with her cream bridesmaid dress, and it certainly is. Quite repulsive. I'm adding a few beads, and she likes pink more than I do. If she isn't keen I will dye it after the wedding - it is lovely Fleece Artist sock merino. I'm doing Bloom from Knitty, which creates a swirly circular shawl that should at least keep a 4 year old warm in midwinter, and give the possibility of flinging it over her shoulders dramatically! (She is dramatic).

I'll try to get pics.

Anyway, probably nothing more after this till I come back on the 8th October. oh, and i hope I'll get some knitting in my favourite knitting place, as emailed to my swapbuddy: I have really enjoyed knitting on the beach in November, wrapped up VERY warm while my GF does kite-buggying (which I do a bit too), the wind blowing, waves splashing and crashing, birds calling, C coming close to say hello then off far away. Yep, that’s been the best!

Copy post from Teaswap

Teaswap

So here, late as late can be, is my (pitifully small, it seems) collection of teas. I drink a lot of herbal teas (and my favourite of all is not here as I always run out - Blackberry and nettle. Love anything blackberry-y) . However, I also love Lapsang Souchong - my aunt used to send my parents 2lbs every Christmas, which lasted the year as we have this with just a few leaves in a teapot.

Talking of teapots, I love these 2 - the blue I bought in a market in Vienna, and it is very Germanic in having the tealight thingy underneath (at leat, it is not at all English, and the people I know who use teapots like this are mostly German/Austrian. Oh, and Dutch. So perhaps I should say Northern European? Who knows!)

And when it comes to mugs/cups, this is my favourite of all; it is one that was handpainted by a guest at the big celebration my love and I had of our relationship in 2001 - instead of present, everyone painted different (not matching) bits of white china that was later re-fired, so we have a whole set of dishes and pots and cups and serving thingies in different patterns but the same colours.

In reality, I almost never use this cup and saucer. I like thin-ish ceramic/pottery/whatever mugs, that have wide openings and aren't curved. Not picky at all!

Cashmere pattern


Thought I'd include the chart for the hearts pattern, body of the stole.

I've been listening to Brenda at Cast-on talking about creative commons/free culture, and felt that I would share this chart. It isn't my pattern, it is from Barbara G Walker's fabulous A Second treasury of Knitting Patterns, published by Schoolhouse Press. She calls it Palm-Leaf Chevron, and it is on page 277 of my edition. (BTW, I got all 4 books together from Schoolhouse for $108US, which is £57.50, and the postage and packing wasn't much more).

What I have changed: well firstly, I've charted it, so I could see more easily how it works. I used Knit Foundry's Knit Visualizer, which I heard about from Melissa on my knitlist. It is a great software package, you can just type in the pattern and change various things, and out comes a print-out! Secondly, in order that a) it shouldn't roll, and b) to make the heart/palm-leaf shaped pop out, I've made all of it except the hearts garter stitch, whereas BGW has it all in stocking stitch.

Hope you like it, and it works! Apologies for any flaws; I've been working from it, but then I know what I mean....

NB please use this for personal use only (ie not for profit), and if you do, it would be cool to see what you do with it. I reserve my right as the author of the chart that you don't sell it on as your own, for example. Not that I think anyone would want to! It's pretty basic.


Cashmere Progress, a Bayerische sock



Jude and Artis-Anne
wanted me to keep you all updated about the pink stole for my cousin's wedding in January - here's how it's going - here it is. It's 5 pattern repeats across, and so far 2.5 long. looks good stretched out, but like a bucket of boiled ass (copyright Rabbitch) as it is!

Bayerische sock

Eunny Jang, she of the wonderful designs, incredible technique tutorials, interesting talk etc etc has started a Bavarian/Austrian style sock. on 96 stitches. I am so excited about this pattern-in-the-making - my grandparents came to the UK from Austria in 1938, and my darling Mutti, my grandmother, would have loved these. I may have to make these for her in lilac, her colour (makes me think of Lila Pause!), and give them to my Mum. She wears lilac too.

NEC K&S - Kerrie

I wore my lovely cloud bolero to the Knitting and Stitching show at the NEC yesterday - a good decision! Kerrie and her co-worker at the Hipknits stand recognised it, and said it does seem to be the first one finished - so Kerrie said I could have any one skein from the stand for free, and her colleague (who had knitted the demo for the Yarn Forward free web pattern) took pics of me in front of the stand. This is the skein I got for free - it's a beautiful red/pink intense lipstick shade, mega sheeny. It's 180g of silk tightly plied and with an amazing yardage - 1200m per 100g!



I also went to the Getknitted stand, where I bought this skein of Handmaiden sock yarn, 100% superwash merino and soooo soft, in wishy-washy colours to make the stole for Alice for her to wear with a cream sleeveless bridesmaids dress in January. I reckon we could use ribbon to tie it into arms, if necessary, as she's only four! Not sure what pattern to use.... but I wonder about adapting Ella from Knitty , as the shape might be easy for her to keep on...
I also bought this luscious skein from the same stand - it's Handmaiden Silk Lace, 600m in 100g. It was next to the Sea Silk yarns of the same make, and that's what i thought I'd bought, but these were the colours I love, and I've got more yardage for my 100g... (The sea sillk is 70% silk, 30% sea cell, from seaweed, and also felt lovely but only 400m in 100g).

My other buys were some more 2.25mm needles from the Knit Tin, who sent me needles for free once because the size they quoted on their site became unavailable. I do like 2.25mm, and it's hard to get in Europe. these are, again, Brittany birch needles. i want bamboo, as they may be more flexible and therefore less fragile, but can't seem to get them in the UK. Never mind. No pics of the needles.

Also, some Mobair bubbles medium weight - this is hand dyed by Victoria Smedley. This is by far one of the plainest skeins she has - her dying is most beautiful, and I loved lots of the multis, but didn't feel I'd use them any time soon, whereas this - I have plans for!